Indeed, and rent in big cities for food service establishments is getting out of hand as well. The local Shawarma place now is something like $18 for one basic chicken shawarma but they're also paying a truly absurd rent for a retail premises with commercial kitchen equipment on a busy pedestrian street.

The estate holding companies tend to punch down on small business leases, and will often drop a zombie company on the carcass of a small firm foolish enough to run the gauntlet.

Structured franchises in standard retail complexes can survive with anchor stores, but people are not going to find a lot of unique choices.

It may differ somewhat in rural communities, but the consolidation of physical shop choices wthin urban centers is inescapable. =3